Smallholder production practices and constraints in Ethiopia [Pisum sativum, Lens culinaris, Cicer arietinum, Vicia faba]
1995
Beyene, H. (Institute of Agricultural Research, Addis Abeba, (Ethiopia)) | Negatu, W. (Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center (Ethiopia)) | Mariam, S.W. (Ministry of Agriculture, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia))
Results of the surveys of the production practices and production constraints of small holders conducted to serve as a benchmark for further research in improving the productivity of cool-season food legumes at farm level in Ethiopia are presented. The cool-season food legumes are the main relish and cash crops, providing protein for humans and by-products for use as animal feed. Production practices vary from one area to another. In most areas cool-season food legumes are grown in the main rainy season. In a few areas faba bean and field pea are mainly grown in the short rainy season. Cool-season food legumes are intercropped with other cool-season food legumes and other crops to maximize total output. In a few areas farmers also double-crop chickpea after an early maturing the cultivar. Land preparation usually commences immediately after the onset of the rains. Frequency of plowing ranges from 0-5 times before planting. Cool-season food legumes generally are planted on a flat seed bed, although in some areas they are grown on ridges and on hand-made broad bed and furrows. Most farmers grow unimproved local cultivars. All cool-season food legumes can be broadcast, but in Angacha, most farmers row-plant faba bean by dibbling seeds after the plow. Although weeds are one of the major constraints, cool-season food legumes receive less priority in weeding than tef and wheat because of the storage of labor caused by an overlapping of operations for these crops. The proportion of farmers applying fertilizer is very low. The most common fertilizer used is diammonium phosphate. The major production constraints of cool-season food legumes are low soil fertility, weeds, diseases and pests, frost, waterlogging, shortage of arable land, seasonal labor shortage, unavailability of inputs and shortage of draft power
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